CINCINNATI – When receiver Cobi Hamilton dropped a sideline pass during a training camp practice, quarterback Andy Dalton sought him out and gave him an encouraging slap on the helmet.
In his third season, Dalton is clearly becoming more of a leader.
The Cincinnati Bengals made him a team captain last season after coach Marvin Lewis challenged him to be more assertive. Dalton had to spend a lot of his first two seasons just learning the offense and making sure he was doing everything right. Now, he's making sure everyone around him is doing the right thing, too.
The second-round pick from TCU is the only Bengals quarterback to reach the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. His biggest shortcoming has been two subpar playoff performances resulting in losses.
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